May 7, 2010

Paul Konerko trade speculation

So far, Konerko is doing well. It’s his team that isn’t. Could that mean Konerko is on his way out of town in a midseason trade? He won’t talk about that, or about his contract, which runs out at the end of this season. As a 10-and-5 player, Konerko could veto any trade.

This is the last year of Konerko’s five-year, $60MM contract, so a budget-conscious contender would just have to take on two or three months’ worth of Konerko’s $12MM 2010 salary without making a long-term commitment. Konerko could fit right in on a team like the Rays — they have a hole at DH with the struggling Pat Burrell, their minor league system is deep enough to spare a decent prospect even for a short-term rental player, and in Konerko, they get a veteran right-handed bat who knows AL pichers well and has lots of postseason experience. Konerko has the right to veto a trade, but he might welcome the chance to join a pennant contender like Tampa Bay.